UPDATE 1-UK Stocks-Factors to watch on Jan 8

* TP ICAP: TP ICAP Plc, the world’s largest interdealer broker, said it had bought SCS Commodities Corp, a U.S. energy and commodities broker for an undisclosed sum.

* MOTHERCARE: British baby goods retailer Mothercare Plc said it did not expect any improvement in short-term market conditions in the UK after posting a decline in comparable sales in the key Christmas season.

* BP: Former World Trade Organization director general Peter Sutherland, who was also a long-serving chairman of oil giant BP and the overseas arm of Goldman Sachs, died on Sunday aged 71.

* CARILLION: Struggling British building and services company Carillion , which is involved in Britain’s planned high-speed rail link HS2, said on Saturday it will meet creditors on Wednesday as it seeks a financial rescue plan.

* LCH VOLUMES: London Stock Exchange Group Plc-owned clearing house LCH reported record volumes across multiple clearing services in 2017 as the exchange fights to keep some of its euro-denominated clearing services within London after Brexit.

* UK CONSUMER SPENDING: British shoppers tightened their belts over Christmas, leading to the first year-on-year fall in spending since 2012, and leading businesses aim to do the same over 2018, two major surveys showed on Monday.

* GOLD: Gold prices held steady on early Monday, below 3-1/2-month highs hit last week, amid expectations of more U.S. interest rate hikes this year.

* OIL: Oil prices firmed on Monday on the back of a slight decline in the number of U.S. rigs drilling for new production, with crude holding just below near three-year highs reached last week.

* The UK blue chip index closed 0.4 percent higher at 7,724.22 on Friday, lifted by a wave of gains across equities worldwide, while a sharp fall in UK car sales hit some motor dealers and insurance stocks.

* For more on the factors affecting European stocks, please click on: cpurl://apps.cp./cms/?pageId=livemarkets